Due to precautions related to COVID-19, we have expanded our options for remote consultations. Please contact our office to discuss whether a full phone consultation or video conference is appropriate for your situation. If you need to drop documents off, please make arrangements with the attorney on your file.

A Full-Service Law Firm
Located in Quincy, Massachusetts, Levin and Levin, LLP was established in 1933 as a full-service law firm committed to providing clients throughout the South Shore with the highest level of legal representation available.

How can a DUI arrest affect your life?

On Behalf of | Apr 22, 2020 | Criminal Defense

Massachusetts has strict DUI laws. Even if the offense is your first run-in with the law, the state statutes set out a clear path of how the court will deal with it. 

You may not believe a one-time decision may impact so many other areas of your life, but it is possible. Discover more about how the state handles DUI charges and what a conviction may mean for your life moving forward. 

Permanence of a first offense 

Some states report a first-time DUI to employers, schools and insurance companies for about 10 years. This may mean you do not get the scholarship you hoped for or your dream job for a decade. A DUI in Massachusetts results in a lifetime blot on your driving record. A DUI conviction will also give you a criminal history for life unless you successfully petition to have it removed. 

Chances of a conviction  

A DUI charge may put you on a path to a court date, and a trial may result in a conviction. The conviction attaches to your driving and criminal records. A first-time offense may not end in a conviction, but this hinges on many factors. The details of the stop may influence a judge’s decision. If you became belligerent or refused to comply, your chances of a conviction may increase. If the amount of alcohol in your system was extremely high, the charge may become a felony netting harsher consequences. 

A continuance without a finding  

Instead of a conviction, you may wind up with a continuance without a finding or CWOF. It is more favorable than a guilty conviction because your background check may come up clear. With a CWOF you acknowledge that the court has the evidence it needs to reach a guilty verdict, but the court does not proceed with the case. If you complete the probation period, you do not receive a conviction. However, if law enforcement arrests you again for a DUI, this new case will proceed as a second offense. 

FindLaw Network